Walking Tours

Leiden is one of the most rewarding cities in the Netherlands for walkers, and a guided or self-guided tour is the best way to appreciate its compact historic centre. The city has more canals and bridges than many visitors expect, a university founded in 1575, and a history that links the Dutch Golden Age with the Pilgrim Fathers, early modern science and the siege that made the city a symbol of resistance. The streets are largely pedestrian-friendly, and everything lies within an easy stroll of the railway station.

Tours cover a range of themes. Many follow the canals, passing the elegant houses of merchants and professors and the picturesque bridges over the Rapenburg, the most beautiful canal in the city. Others concentrate on the Pilgrims, the English Separatists who lived in Leiden from 1609 until some of them sailed to America on the Mayflower in 1620. Their pastor John Robinson is buried in the Pieterskerk, and a plaque and displays recall the connection. Other tours focus on Rembrandt, who was born in Leiden in 1606, or on the story of the university and its botanical garden.

Windmills are another feature of Leiden. Molen De Valk is a museum in a historic mill, and visiting it gives an idea of how wind power served industry. The city also has a strong tradition of science, shown at Museum Boerhaave, and a world-class collection at the National Museum of Antiquities, with Egyptian and Roman objects. Naturalis, the natural history museum, is a big attraction for families, and specialty museums cater to many interests.

The siege of 1574 plays a role in the city's identity. During the Dutch revolt against Spain, Leiden was surrounded and starved until the dikes were opened and the relief arrived on 3 October, a date celebrated every year with a festival that features herring and white bread, the first food given to the starving citizens. Guides often tell this story with relish.

Walking tours come in many forms, from group tours led by guides in several languages to audio walks that you follow on your phone. Choose by theme and length, book ahead in high season, and wear comfortable shoes for the cobbles. The tourist office can supply maps and suggestions.